Penn College Baja team begins new era with stellar showing

A dedicated group of Pennsylvania College of Technology students ushered in a new era of competition with a strong showing recently at Baja SAE Oshkosh in Wisconsin.

The Penn College team – comprised of students from several engineering-related majors – finished 10th in the endurance race, considered the toughest test at the international event that requires schools to design, manufacture and build a single-seat, all-terrain vehicle. For the first time, all cars were mandated to be four-wheel drive.

“I am more than pleased with our showing,” said John G. Upcraft, instructor of manufacturing and machining and adviser to Penn College’s Baja SAE club. “We had to design, manufacture and assemble about 60 components for the new four-wheel-drive system. And none of those components broke. Building the system from scratch was an enormous project for a team of our size.”

Of the 57 cars in the four-hour endurance race, 17 failed to complete more than 10 laps around the rugged, muddy terrain. Penn College recorded 36 laps in earning its 13th top-10 finish in the event since 2o11, including wins last year with its two-wheel-drive system at Baja SAE Tennessee Tech and Baja SAE Rochester.

At Wisconsin, Penn College began the endurance race in the 15th slot and quickly moved to second before a rollover caused a setback. Later in the race, the team had to replace a broken CVT belt and the car’s rear axle, dropping the club to 30th with just 90 minutes remaining. Penn College posted a remarkable finish, passing 20 cars to earn 10th place.

“It was a tough course. There were a lot of cars breaking,” Upcraft said. “You don’t have to have the fastest car to do well. You just have to have a fast car that doesn’t break.”

Penn College’s performance in the endurance event bested the likes of Rochester Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech, LSU, UCLA, Iowa State, Michigan State, Purdue, Wisconsin and Notre Dame. The University of Michigan won the race.

“Now that we know that the four-wheel-drive system functions, there are a few things we want to do to get it working better,” Upcraft said. “We also need to put the car on a diet, reduce its weight.”

Upcraft expects team members to return to campus prior to the beginning of the fall semester to prepare the car for Baja SAE Ohio, scheduled for Sept. 6-10.
                                                            
“After Ohio, we’ll really be able to gauge where we are at in terms of the competition,” he said.

The Penn College Baja SAE team consists of automated manufacturing technology students Jacob P. Anderson, Mechanicsburg; Daniel W. Bujcs, Allentown; Chethan C. Meda, Corning, New York; Brian P. Rogers, Kunkletown; and Mitchell M. Wight, Hatfield; manufacturing engineering technology students Zander P. Beaver, Mt. Pleasant Mills; Trevor J. Lindsay, Mechanicsburg; Alec D. Rees, Centerport, New York; and Isaac H. Thollot, Milford; engineering design technology students Casey B. Campbell, Kennerdell; and Marshall W. Fowler, Sellersville; engineering CAD technology students Thomas J. Bodei Jr., Toms River, New Jersey; and Zach A. Tallman, Lewisburg; welding & fabrication engineering technology student Alexander E. Flores, Bowie, Maryland; and machine tool technology student Jack J. Stump, York.

The team prepared for Baja SAE Oshkosh in its recently dedicated room inside the Larry A. Ward Machining Technologies Center. Ken and Kristie Healy provided financial support to create a space for the club’s exclusive use. The competition also marked the first time the team transported its car in a trailer donated by Lycoming Engines.

For more information on Penn College’s Baja SAE team and sponsorship opportunities, visit College Relations' Baja page.

For information on degrees offered by the college’s School of Engineering Technologies.

Penn College is a national leader in applied technology education. Email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.